Coin-operated attachment for pay-telephones.



PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

E. J. LONERGAN.

00m OPERATED ATTACHMENT FOR PAY TELEPHONES.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 19, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Zara/y ra w ww No. 895,777. PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

E. J. LONERGAN.

, COIN OPERATED ATTAGEMENT FOR PAY TELEPHO NES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1908.

, 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M55196: Jmaniarx w gig aka? flciamndLZ Zanegam 1 2 mww no, 895,777. PATENTED AUG. 11, 1368.

"E; J. LONERGAN. 00m OPERATED ATTAGHMENT FOR PAY TELEPHONES; 'APBLIOATION FILED 313.19, 190s.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

laden/07":

PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

E; J. LONERGAN. COIN OPERATED ATTACHMENT FOR PAY TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

#1 Q W mm W N r .3 In m Q I .Zhz/enzfor I zcimnaikfflmzyam awa 0% mwee g .Unrrn EDMOND J. LONEEGAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

swans rarnwr anion.

GQIN-OPERATED -ATT.E .GZ-IEIENT FOR EAY-TELEIHONES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

Application filed February 19, 1908. Serial No. 6,659.

To all whom "it may concern:

"-Be it known that I, EDMOND J. Lonnnearv, a crown of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of'Cook and State of releasing the coin to permit it to drop into the receptacle provided to receive it.

Referring to the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 shows my improved attachment by a view in side elevation in its casing represented by a section taken at the line 1 on Fig. 7, and regarded in the direction of the arrow, the paris of the mechanism being represented in normal position. Fig. 2 is a section taken at the line 2 on Fig. 6, and viewed in the dircctiornof the arrow; and Fig. 3, a

broken section taken'at the line 3 on Fig. '2,

and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a view like that presented in Fig. 1, but showing the paris of the m chanism in the condition they assume by do, ressing the operaiing lever to i s full extent :after a coin has been inserted 'i o afford the abutment.

25 Fig. 5 is a section taken at the line 5 on Fig.

1, and viewed in rho direction of the arrow. Fig. 6 shows the mechanism in front elevation by a section taken at rhe line 6 on Fig. 1, and viewed in ihe' direction of the arrow. Fig. 7 is a section taken at the line 7 on Fig. 2, and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

A suitable construction of the casing for my improved attachment may be that represented, comprising an integral. back 8 and base 9 extending at right-angles to each other, the back being adapted to be fastened against the board 10 of an ordinary walltelephone between the transmitter and shelf of the instrument, and a cast inetal'cover 1.1., forming the casing-sides, the top and the fr'ono of desired configuration such as that repree sented. This last-named casting", affords the removable section of the casing adaptedto be locked in position by-engagement of a suitable key-operated lock formed on the casing-front, as indicated at 12 to engage with the forward end of a post 13- extending horizontally from the back 8, with which it may form an integral part. owever, the construction of the casing and particular locking means therefor are not essential to my invention and need not, therefore, be

shown and described in. more minute detail. From the base 9, near the right-hand edge thereof, regarded from the front of the attachment, rises a frame 14. On the u per end of the frame is pivotally supports at- 15, to depend at the outer'frame-srde, an arm 16 containing a cam-slot 17 adjacent to which is a stop 18; and on the lower end of the arm is formed a segmental ratchet 19, in the path of which is pivoted on the frameside a pawl 20 under the control of a spiral spring 21 connected with the frame. other spiral s ring 22 connects the arm from its upper enc with the frame to return the arm to its normal forward position when.

turned therefrom by depressing the operating lever 2, which is ivoted at its inner end to the outer side of t e arm to engage at that end with the sto 18, the lever projecting be= yond the front 0 the casing through an elongated slot 24 therein and being provided on iisouter end with a finger-grasp 25.

A cast plate 26 (Fig. 1), rigidly fastened to the inner side of the frame 14 near its forward edge to extend at a right-angle thereto,

has provided in its frontside grooves forming the coin-chutes indicated at 28 and 29,

in Fig. 6, this platebeing covered by. a thin face-plate 27 for confining a coin passin through either chute; and laterally elongate openings 30 and 31, serving the purpose hereinafter explained, are provided through these plates in the junction between the two chutes, which form, respectively, a coin return and coin-feed chute. On the back of.

the plate 26 is supported an electro-mag'net device 32, forming a selective device of wellknown construction, commoiily used on payjoelephone attachments of the character to which my invention relates, for enabling the operator at the telephone-exchange to direct the course of a coin introduced through an insertion-slot 33 into one or the other of the This device involves ;a pair of parallel magnet-spools 34, 35, on a rig-id support 36 extending from the back of the plate 26, the spools being independently included in the'circuitof a generator (not shown) with a p spring-controlled armature .f37'common to bothmagnets', and pivotally 9 supported at its upper and lower ends to adapt it to be attracted by maguets which is either one of the energized; ,the armature having pins 38 and 39. rejecting from its" face, at op osite sides'of its pivotal support, 1 to coinci ence with the openings and 31. Each time the lever 23 is depressed to the full'extent, after the mechanism has been rendered operative as hereinafter explained by inserting a coin, a counter 40, of the ordinary disk-type, is actuated to register each operation of the device, which is furthermore announced by the sounding of a bell 41, these esul being produced by the fol-lowing-dt ribec mechanism: In guides on the outer side of the frame 14 is confined, to reciprocate horizontally, a slide-bar 42,

having its'ends extending at right-angles to afford a rear stop '43 and a forward stop 44 to enga e with parts of the frame in their paths, t e arm 44 aflording' one sto carrymg a M sha ed member 45 having t e horizontally an backwardly extendin fingers 46 and 47, with acoin-seating trougi: 48 extendingalong the upper side of the ger 46. n horizontal ali-nernent with the finger 46 is reciprocably supported, in a' bearing 49 projectmg from the inner side of the frame, a

. into the cam-slot 17 'of .when the o erating lever is released after normal forward reciprocate longitudinally,

' and a ording a bearing on plunger-bar 50 terminating at its'forward end in a recessed or bifurcated head 51 and carrying in a slotformed in its opposite end a pivoted trip-finger 52 projecting into the path of the stem 53 of the spring-pressed operating-fin er 54 for actuating the tongue 55 of the bel '41. The slide-bar 42 carries on its outer side (Fig. -1 a roller 56 extending the arm 16, whereby depression t ereof, the resultant turning of the arm under the action of the spring 22;

will produce engagement of the cam-slot with the roller to return the slide-bar to its position. Extending parallel with the slide-bar 42-and g'uidingly supported on the inner side of thefran'ie to is a slide-bar 57 havln its forward end bent to a right-angle which is mounted between its ends a curved chute5'8 normally coinciding at" its u per end with the dis charge-end of the c ute 28 and containing in its upper end a vertical slot 59 coinciding with the finger 46, this chute being provided between its endswith a slot 60 registering with the finger 47, and being bifurcated at its lower end to form a slot 61 affording a display opening for the coin, at a point where it is arrested after GI'fOIiIIlIIg-NJS work, to provide a species of coin-detector; the slot 61 being coincident with an opening provided in the front of the casing and covered with. glass 62. v

Immediately above the chute 58 there is provided in the back-plate of the chute 28 mally closed by a spring-connection 64 with the frame, this door serving a purposehereinafter explained. The counter 40 has on its operating-shaft a crank-arm 65, connected by a spring 66 with the frame; and this crank-arm is connected from its freeend by a bent rod 67 with the plunger-bar 50 near its rearend, whereby each time the lunger-bar is forced backward to ring the be 1 its connection with the crank-arrn of the counter actuatesthe latter to register the operation' of the ma chine, the spring 66 operating through the crank-arm and the rod 67" to return-the plunger-bar to its forward position. On the base 9 is fastened a box forming per side an opening 69, shown of rectangular form, covered by a slide-plate 70 reciprocably su under si e of thetop of the receptacle, this slide-plate containing 'a. transverse slot 72 through 4 the chute 58 project. The box has secured upon its ,top ansarrestingtongue 73 projecting over the forward edge of the o ening 69 and through the base slot 61 in the curved chute 58. A longitudinally yielding rod 74 is su ported in bearings on the inner side of the rame to register at its forward end with the coin-display'slot 61, this rodhavin'g a s ring connection 75 from its rear bent en with the forward bearing 76 through which it T On the forward end of the ox is a door 77 hinged at its lower edge to 0 en outwardly and carrying a,key -'operated fhck, indicated at 78, for fastehing it in, its closed position. Within the box, on a bracket 79 rovided therein, is supported a counter 80 w ich may be in all particulars like the counter40. The door 77 carries a hinged spring-trip finger 81 extending intothe ath of the o crating spring-retracted cranl -arm 82 on the shaft asses.

of the-counter, the movement of which is By means of this device,

ment calls up the operator to attain the deof proper denomination into the insertionthe coin-receptacle 68 containing in its up-' hinged at its upper end and maintained norported in lateral guides 71 on the Which-the lower bifurcated endsof of the .coinisplay limited by stops 83, 84, on the adjacent end opened to gainaccause pf the telephone equippedwith any attachsired connection, such user introduces a coin slot 33, whence it drops upon and is arrested by the pins 38, 39 on the armature. If the desired connection is not obtainable, the

perator will energize the magnet 34 to exert attraction on the armature 37 and thereby withdraw the pin 39 from the opening 31 to free the inserted coin and permit it to discharge through the chute 29 into a cup 86' provided on the front of the casing to communicate with the lower end of that chute, and thus return the coin to the user because of the failure to obtain the desired connection, On the other hand, should the connection be obtainable, the operator will energize the magnet 35 to attract the armature andwithdraw the pin 38 from the path of the coin, which will thereupon roll down the chute 28 and lodge in the upper end of the chute 58, wherein it is arrested by a stoplug 87' (Fig. 7) projecting from the inner side of the frame intothe path of the coin through the movable chute 58 in its normal osition. At this point the coin registers with t 1e inner end of the finger 46. Thereupon, by depressing the lever to turn the cam-arm 16, its e11- gagement with the roller 56 moves the slidear 42 inward, thereby abutting the finger 46 against the coin and bindin it a ainst the chute 58 while moving the latter ackward, under guidance of the slide-bar 57, and with it the slide-plate 70' to maintain closure of the opening 69, thou h withdrawing the slot 72 from underneat the tongue 73. Continued depression of the operating lever abuts the coin against the bifurcated end of the plunger-bar 50 to drive the latter backward and engage the trip 52 with the bell-operating handle- 53 to sound the bell. The plunger-bar also 0 crates to hold the coin against the end of t e finger 46, the coin coming into contact with the end thereof before the coin has been moved off the stoplug'87. This backward movement of the bar also'actuates the rod 67 to turn,

through the medium of the crankearm 65,

.the shaft of the counter 41 to cause the latter to register the operation.

'. i It will be understood that the pawl 20 by its engagement with the ratchet 19 until just previous to the end of the depression of the operating lever, prevents the return of the latter from any intermediate point in the depression, wherein when the pawl clears the ratchet at the end of the depression, (where the further movement of the arm 16 is arrested by abutment of the forward side of the ca1n-' slot against the roller 15) the action of the' spring 22 (on releasing the operating lever) reverses the turning of the cam-arm to engage the cam-slot with the roller and move the slide-bar 42 and parts carried by it'to the normal position. It will also be understood that no operation of the attachment ensues bar 50, since in the absence of the coin this arm enters the bifurcated end of the plungerbar without abutting against. it to effect its movement. i

The finger 47, while not an indispensable feature of the construction, will serve to intercept the coin in the event of its becoming prematurely dislodged from its abutmentposition in the upper end of the movable coinchute, and thus prevent it from dropping to the lower display-end of that chute until another coin, which has previously attained the last named position, shall have been discharged therefrom as hereinafter described. With the return of the slidebar 42, the stop 13 on its inner end engages the adjacent end of the slide-bar 57 to drive the latter forward and with it the chute 58 into normal position. The forward movement of the chute 58, at the initial part thereof, releases the coin, which drops in the chute while the transverse slot in the slide-plate 70 is still uncovered by the tongue 7 3; but until the movable chute has attained its forward position, the rod 74 projects through'the slot 71 in the chute-base and thus into the path of the coin to-arrest it against drop ing through the slot 72 into the coin-receptac e; and while the chute 58 is attaining its normal forward position, its lower slot will clear the end of the rod 74, but then the tongue 73 will overlap the slot in the slide-plate so that the coinwhen. it is advanced ahead of the end of the rod 7 4 by the forward movement of the chute, will drop and light upon the tongue,

to be retained in display-p sitiom propped by hearing backward against the end of said rod, until the attachment is again operated to retract the chute 58 and withdraw the slot in the slide-plate 70". from the tongue 7 3 to permit the coin to enter the box68.

Each operation of the attachment is a repetition of that described, causing the previously inserted coin to be dislodged from its displaytposition into the coin-receptacle and the-l'astlmserted coin to take its place and remain under display until the next operation. Should two coins be inserted in succession without operating the attachment between the insertions and because, for eizgample, of the abnormal thinness of one or both coins they should become wedged by ojierlapping one another below the discharge/ abel of the chute 28, in forcing the chute 58'3 uward the coin in alinement with the finger 46 will be' pressed against the lower edge of the upper overlapping coin, therebyforcing thelatter against the spring-closed door 63 and opening it to release the surplus coin, which will fall inside the casing, thereby preventing any damage to the mechanism, such as would ensue without the provision of the yielding door. 'From the foregoing description of the mechanism, it will be understood that the obholdingtne key to the casing and t takethe j plate dependent of each other in thesenss meeting said last and means reciprocable chute.

slide, and means in plished, these objects beipg, besides provid-- ing a desirable novel construction of :inech'am ism, to cause the attachment to register each operation also to announce the same, and to cause each opening of the cash to be registered, these two registrations different persons with different key; similar key I and also one for the'loca of the door 77,

may be. required, respectively, to, readings of the register 40 and per'i, .ddi'cally collect'the contents of the co n re. ceptacl'e. In this way the two registers afford, a check from one to the other, on the two persons respectively intrusted with taking the readings from the register 46 and with the collections of the money.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isg l 1. Ina coin-operated attachment the combination with a coin-feed chute, and-a coinreceptacle, of a reciprocable coin-hutenormally registering with said feed chute, and leading to said receptacle, said receptacle being provided with an opening therein, a slide connected to the reci rocable chute and covering the opening, ant means for recipmentioned chute. I 2. In a coin-operated attachment the 001m bination with a coin-feedchute, and a coinreceptacle, of a reciprocable coin-chute normally registering with said feed chuteand leading to said receptacle, a reciprocating slide, an op osed yieldingly mounted bar, or operating the slide tocause and hold a coin between it and it to engage bar and in engagement wit-lithe the yielding 3, In a coin-operated attachment the combination with a coin-feed chute, Lind a coin- 'rece )tacle, of a reciprocabie coini-chute normal y registering with said feed chute and leading to said recmtacle, a reciprocating line with the slide and opposed to the movement thereof for holding a coin on said slide in engagement with said reciprocable chute.

4. In a coin-operated attachment for pay telephones, the combination with a coin feed-chute and a coin-receptacle, of a 'recip-' rocable coin-chute normall registering with said feed-chute and leading to said receptacleand containing a coin-display opening, an operating lever, and coin-operated connections between said lever and reciprocable chute. I

5. In a coin-operated attachment for paycombination with a coin-feed chute and a coin-receptacle, oi; a reciprocable coinchute containing a coin-display opening zin its. lower end and normally registering .at

its-opposite end with said feed-chute, an o ening 1n the coin-receptacle having a s ottedshde-plate covering it and connected tending into the path of -mal position of the reciprocable chute, and a telephones, the

, chute reciprocably supported on the frame to telephones, the coi'nbination with a casln an o crating lever connected with said reciproca 1e chute, and a tongue on said receptacle e'xtendingover the o ernng therein'across 4 the slide-plate slot in its normal position.

6. In. a coin-operated attachment for paytelephones, the combination with a casing inclosed frame, of'a coin-feed chute, a slidebar supported on the frame and carrying a roller and a coin-engaging finger, a springretracted arm pivots-11y supported on the frame and provided with a cam to engage said roller, an operating lever connected with said cam-arm, a coin-chute reciproc'ably supported on the frame to register normally with said feed-chute and provided with a slot registering with said finger, with. acoin-stop exthe coin in the nor plunger-bar supported on the frame and hav- 5. ing a recessed end registering with said slot, for the purpose set forth.

7. In a coin-operated attachment for .paytelephones, the combination with a casinginclosed frame, of aeoin-recepta'cle having an opening, a slotted slide-plate cov'erin said opening and a tongue on said receptale extending over the slot in the normal position of the slide-plate, a slide-bar'supported on the frame and carrying a roller and a coincng'aging finger, a springaetracted arm pivotally supported on the frame and provided with a. cam to engage said roller, an operating lever connected with said camarm,' a coin chute reciprocably supported on the frame to register normally with said feed-chute and provided in its upper end with a slot regis- Y I tering with said linger and at its lower end with a coin-display opening, and engaging at I its lower end with said slide-plate, a coin stop extending into the path of the coin in the normal position of the reci rocable chute, and a plunger-bar su porter on the frame and having a rccesse end registering with said slot, for the purpose set forth. I

8. In a coin-operated attachment for pay combination with a casinginclosed frame, 'of a'coin-feed chute, a slidebar supported on the frame and carrying a roller and a coin-engaging finger surmounted by a coin-rest, a spring-retracted arm pivotally supported on the frame and provided with a cam to engage said roller, an operating lever connected with said cam-arm, a coin- 12G register normally with said feed-chute and to be engaged for retracting it by said slide-bar, and containing a slot in its upper end registerin with said finger, a coin-stop extendlng ,into tire path ofthecoin in the normal position of the reciprocable chute,-and a springpetracted plunger-bar supported on the, frame.

19. In a com c perlated attachment for pay- .130

' telephones, the combina registering with said slot, an operating lever bar supported on the frame and having a'reinclosed frame, of a coin-feed chute, a slidebar supported on the frame and carrying a roller and a coin'engagin finger, a springretracted arm pivotally upported on the frame and provided with a cam to engage said roller, an operating lever connected with said earner-in, a coin-chute reciprocabiy supported on the frame to register normally with said frame-chute and to be engaged for retracting it by said slide-bar, and containing a slot in its upper end registering with said finger, a coin-stop extending into the path of the coin in the normal position of the reciprocable chute, and a spring-retracted plungercessed end registering with saidslot.

10. In a coin-operated attachment for paytion with a coin-feed chute and a coin-receptacle, of a reciprocable coin-chute containing a coin-display opening in its lower end and normally registering at its op osite end, containing a slot, with said feed-c ute, a coin-stop projecting in the path of the coin in the normal osition of the reciprocable chute, a slide-Ear supported on the frame and having a finger registering with said slot, a plungerrbar having a recessed end connected with said slide-bar to actuate the -in said slide-plate, and

reciprocahle chute, and a stop-rod registering with said coin-display opening to cooperate therewith, for the purpose set forth.

1 1. In a eoin-operated attachment for paytelephones, the combination with a coin-feed chute, of a reciprocable coin-chuteenntaining a coin-display opening in its lower end and normally registering at its opposite end, containing a slot, with said feed-chute, a coin-stop projecting in the path of the coin J- in the normal position of the reciproeable chute, a slide-bar supported on the frame and having a finger registering with said slot, :1 plunger-bar having a recessed end registering with said slot, an operating lever connected with said slide-oar to actuate the reciprocable chute, a coin-receptacle provided with an opening, a slotted slide-p ate covering said opening and engaged by the lower end of the reciprocable chute, a tongue extending over said opening to cooperate with the slot a stop-rod registeringwith said coin-display opening to cooperate therewith, for the purpose set forth.

EDMOND J. LONERGAN.

In presence of A. -U. THORIEN, R. A. SOHAEFER 

